02 April, 2025
Five Peaks Virtual Team Challenge
At Pacific Health & Wellbeing, we love a good team challenge, especially when it gets us moving and supports a great cause. This March, we laced up our sneakers and took part in Canteen’s Five Peaks Virtual Challenge, a fitness and fundraising event dedicated to helping the 23,000 young Australians who face the challenges of cancer each year.
The Challenge
The Five Peaks Virtual Challenge was all about conquering Australia’s five highest peaks, Mount Ossa (5km), Mount Kosciuszko (13km), Mount Bartle Frere (14km), Mount Bogong (16km) and Mount Bimberi (20km), a combined distance of 68 kilometres. Our teams, made up of staff from Brisbane, Darwin, and a combined Gold Coast, Sydney, and Toowoomba squad, embraced the challenge with enthusiasm.
To keep things fair, since some teams had fewer members than others, we calculated an average distance per team member. Prizes were awarded for the team with the highest average, as well as for the individuals who covered the most distance and raised the most funds.
And the Winners Are…
As always, competition was fierce, with our teams walking, running, cycling, swimming, and rolling their way to the finish line. But in the end, Team Darwin took home the trophy, smashing an incredible 101.7 kilometres per team member!
Special shout-outs go to:
- Madelyn, who covered a jaw-dropping 182.3km, securing first place for individual distance.
- Emily, who raised an amazing $437.60, earning her the top spot for individual fundraising.
Here’s how the team’s finished
| Rank | Team | Average/Team Member (km) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darwin | 101.7 |
| 2 | Brisbane | 41.13 |
| 3 | Gold Coast/Sydney/Toowoomba | 8.73 |
Here are the top 5 individuals by distance
| Rank | Name | Team | Distance (km) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madelyn | Darwin | 182.3 |
| 2 | Shelley | Darwin | 166.2 |
| 3 | Emily | Brisbane | 105.5 |
| 4 | Isabelle | Darwin | 90.2 |
| 5 | Kate | Brisbane | 54.6 |
Fun Facts from the Challenge
- As a team, we raised an impressive $1,143 for Canteen.
- We covered a total of 808 kilometres, enough to conquer the Five Peaks nearly 12 times!
- Our 808 kilometres placed Pacific Health & Wellbeing 5th out of 120 teams.
- Madelyn’s 182.3km placed her 36th out of 1,663 participants, what an incredible effort.
- Emily’s fundraising of $437.60 placed her 74th out of 1,663 participants, such a fantastic contribution.
A huge thank you to everyone who took part, not just from Pacific Health & Wellbeing but across Australia. Taking on the Five Peaks to support young people battling cancer is no small feat, and we’re beyond proud to have been part of it. Here’s to the next challenge!
